Quotes of the Day

India's Underachiever
Manmohan Singh is now largely depicted as the symbol of policy paralysis ["A Man in Shadow," July 16]. Yet it is unfair to blame him alone for the sad state of India today. One must realize that our democracy with multiparty politics is not working anymore. The coalition government headed by Singh simply cannot implement any more policies against the opposition parties that would oppose any bills in Parliament for their vested interests. Our country has become the laughingstock of democracy, with hundreds of corrupt political parties.
Suresh K. Parappurath,
Bangalore, India

Let us not expect high achievements when the Prime Minister of India is selected by an individual and not elected by a majority of Parliament, and when he does not choose his team of ministers. Singh is invisible and inaudible to the Indian electorate who never elected him.
Jagdish Mitter Ovasdi,
Jaipur, India

I certainly agree that Prime Minister Singh is an underachiever. Despite being a highly educated economist and an able administrator, he is unable to introduce bold economic reforms because he is being controlled by Sonia Gandhi. She is exercising power from the outside without accountability, while he is behaving like her subordinate.
Anantharamiah Srikantaih,
Bangalore, India

Now that Singh has taken over the most important finance portfolio himself, this is the time for him to be decisive and prove that the government means business. He should revive the spirit he showed us in the early 1990s.
Veeraraghavan Ramaswamy,
Coonoor, India

Merkel's Mettle
I want to thank Peter Gumbel for the excellent article on Angela Merkel ["Why Everybody Loves to Hate Angela Merkel," July 16]. Although, not being a German citizen, I only admire Germany's Chancellor. Germany's strong economic position is thanks to the discipline of her citizens and strict fiscal laws. Income tax evasion is severely punished, and corruption is reduced to the minimum. Merkel has made it clear that Germany will not pay the debts of other countries. She is proving an important principle in business and politics: you have to be hard to be good.
Iwan Dacko,
Weyarn, Germany

Merkel is like a breath of fresh air in a sea of mediocre European politicians. She appears calm and resolute when others seem bent on endless conferences, photo calls and sumptuous dinners.
Alan Rawlinson,
Truro, England

History has shown that liking a world leader often has nothing to do with him or her being right or wrong. It is all about personal charisma. Part of the answer to the question of why everybody loves to hate Merkel might be found in your choice of unflattering photos of her.
Athanasios Hatzilakos,
Athens

Gumbel is exaggerating when he writes of Germany's "largesse." Germany has not actually given handouts to any country but rather has offered them loans at reasonably attractive rates. I have noticed that too many confuse bailouts with handouts.
Jose Rodrigues,
wezembeek-oppem, Belgium

All-Inclusive Resorts
I was shocked by Joel Stein's column "All He Can Eat" [July 16]. So matter-of-factly he writes about Thai hookers and sex tourism that it makes me wonder how he knows so much about it. Does he realize that many of those young girls and even children are forced into prostitution through sex trafficking, which is modern-day slavery? I have been dealing with this horrible crime against women and children for a number of years, including running a safe house in Cape Town as well as working in Amsterdam, and believe me, what these woman experience is abuse against them and a terrible crime.
Marge Ballin,
Cape Town

Three-year-olds are not "stupid," as Stein says about his son. They simply want to be entertained. Experience helps them recognize what and who is stupid later in life. If anyone deserves the title "stupid" for not recognizing this, it's Stein.
Ian Rolfe,
Oxted, England

Eco-Packaging
Re "Eat This?" [July 16]: Edible containers and soluble packaging all made from natural products! Wonderful news. It is a logical answer to tons of superfluous plastic waste we create every day.
Nicole Mueller Januário,
Cascais, Portugal

While America is busy tackling obesity woes, edible cups are being made to be eaten as dessert. How much dessert does one need in a day? This is opening the door to more diabetes, obesity and, not to mention, dental problems.
Jacqueline M. Motcho,
Manila